The Infinix Hot 30 is the latest smartphone series launched by Infinix in Kenya. The series includes three main phones: the Infinix Hot 30, Hot 30 Play, and the Hot 30i.
Infinix HOT 30 is available for Ksh.22,899, Infinix HOT 30 Play for Ksh.18,399, and Infinix HOT 30i for Ksh.15,499. The Infinix Hot 30 series is the successor to the Infinix Hot 20 from last year. The Infinix Hot series is one of the affordable lineups from Infinix and has evolved so much over the years, with the price also changing significantly, crossing the Ksh 20,000 mark, which was not usually the case.
I have been using the Infinix Hot 30 for a few weeks, and I believe I am in a better position to share what it is all about and if it is worth getting.
Design and Build Quality
Infinix has nailed it when it comes to the design and build quality of the Hot 30. The phone has a glass front, metallic frame, and a plastic back. I got the sonic white variant that looks classy. It has a glossy finish that looks quite different from the previous Infinix Hot smartphones.
The phone does not feel too big, and I can easily use it with one hand. It is comfortable to hold with the power and volume keys on the right side. The power button also doubles up as the fingerprint sensor, and it is a fast one. The back camera module is made up of two main sensors with the 50MP main one. Infinix has gone with a clean camera setup with the two sensors and the LED flash all attached to the back cover.
Display
The Infinix Hot 30 comes with a 6.78-inch display with a resolution of 1080 x 2460 pixels. This is a big display, but I could still use it with one hand. The display is perfect for media consumption and even gaming if you are into that. It has a 90Hz refresh rate, which is not the highest but still good. The display is very responsive and has excellent color reproduction. Compared to its predecessor, this phone has some significant updates on the display. I had no issues using this display outdoors under direct sunlight as it gets bright enough for that.
Performance
Powering the Infinix Hot 30 is the MediaTek Helio G88 octa-core processor that has been paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. This is not the latest processor from MediaTek, but it still gets the job done. Infinix is positioning this as an entry-level gaming phone, and the processor can help it accomplish that. I would have hoped for a newer processor for future-proofing the phone, but this one still gets the job done. Games like Asphalt 9 and PUBG are handled without any issues at all.
For day-to-day tasks, the experience was smooth. The phone handled everything I was doing with ease, and at no single time did I experience any performance issues. I could easily switch between multiple demanding applications without the phone slowing down.
As for the software, the Infinix Hot 30 runs on Android 12 with XOS 7.6 User Interface. There are no major changes with XOS on this new version and if you have interacted with it anytime over the last two years, you will feel right at home with it.
Camera
With a 50MP dual camera at the back, you can get some decent shots with the Infinix Hot 30. Do not expect anything out of this world, but you still get good shots worth sharing on social media. The camera also features a quad-LED flash, HDR, and panorama modes. The main camera can record videos at 1440p@30fps and 1080p@30fps. The phone’s front-facing camera has an 8 MP wide lens, with a dual-LED flash, and can record videos at 1080p@30fps.
Audio and Connectivity
The Infinix Hot 30 features stereo speakers and a 3.5mm headphone jack, allowing users to enjoy high-quality audio. It is good to see the headphone jack is still around in 2023. The phone supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, FM radio, and USB Type-C 2.0 connectivity options.
Battery
The Infinix Hot 30 comes with a 5,000 mAh battery that could easily last me an entire day even with heavy usage. I am on my phone most times, and at no single point did I run out of battery in the middle of the day. The battery supports 33W fast charging, with 30 minutes of charging topping it up from 0 to 55%.
Summary
The Infinix Hot 30 is a good phone for anyone who needs power and reliability at this price. The phone is well-built and feels sturdy while looking the part. If you are into media consumption, this phone is the right one for you. The size is right, and the display is just perfect for this.
The phone is powered by the Helio G88 processor, which can handle day-to-day tasks and games with ease. This is not the latest processor from MediaTek, but it is a capable one. If you are into mobile gaming, you will not go wrong with this phone. The GPU performance is impressive, and the phone’s battery life is good enough to last an entire day. Overall, the Infinix Hot 30 is a solid phone that offers a lot of value for its price.
Read: Top 5 Things to Love About the Infinix Hot 30
